Back in 2014, there was a man who was already aware of the irregularities involving Manchester City. That man now runs FIFA. The infamous Gianni Infantino, then UEFA General Secretary, abused his authority, shared confidential documents and, in short, outmanoeuvred the Investigatory Chamber, doing everything in his power to ensure that both Manchester City and PSG would merely receive a fine, avoiding a deeper investigation that could have led to a Champions League ban. All of these details were also revealed through Football Leaks.
Given his actions as UEFA General Secretary and, more recently, as FIFA President, I can only say, in my humble opinion, that Gianni Infantino has become a cancer on football and should have no place in the future of the game.
🚨 Premier League confirms Manchester City ruled guilty of every charge related to financial rule breaches across 9 seasons + majority of charges on #ManCity failure to co-operate with probe. Situation discussed w/ @JamesHorncastle@kvlmason@TheAthleticFC https://t.co/eqQJBGqzSu
Seriously though, if they’re willing to cook the books for £900m worth of inflated sponsorships, what else were they willing to do to get an edge? I’d be interested in an investigation into the Premier League Refs that do exhibition games over in Abu Dhabi.
There is Man City fans out there than genuinely believed they were generating more revenue than the biggest clubs in the world while they were unable to sell out games.
Premier League statement details the findings that Man City were guilty of all charges:
• Revenues were inflated and costs reduced by £900m.
• Man City used ‘sham’ contracts with commercial partners to ‘artificially inflate revenues’.
• ‘Concealed the true state of finances.’
•Accurate reporting would have seen them ‘in breach of both the League’s and UEFA’s spending limits by a very substantial amount’.
🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: Premier League confirm an independent Commission has found Manchester City GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
The club has the right to appeal the independent Commission’s findings and has until Friday 2 October to exercise that right.
The Premier League Board’s intention is that the full process (including any appeals and publication of relevant decisions) is concluded as soon as possible.
The independent Commission found that between Seasons 2009/10 and 2017/18:
- Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs
- The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators
- Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits
- During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld)
SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY will reportedly be re-released in theatres with new footage, including Rosario Dawson's cameo as Claire Temple.
(via @DEADLINE)